Health benefits of garlic

Garlic is exceptionally nutritious and has the ability to improve your health.

Garlic is a plant in the onion family that’s grown for its distinctive taste and health benefits. It contains sulfur compounds, which are believed to bring some of the health benefits.

It is closely related to onions, shallots and leeks. Each segment of a garlic bulb is called a clove. There are about 10–20 cloves in a single bulb, give or take.

Garlic is low in calories and rich in vitamin C, vitamin B6 and manganese. It also contains trace amounts of various other nutrients.

In this article we would find out some health benefits of garlic that are supported by human research.

Garlic can combat sickness, including the common cold:Garlic supplements are known to boost the function of the immune system. One large, 12-week study found that a daily garlic supplement reduced the number of colds by 63 percent compared to a placebo.

Garlic supplements help prevent and reduce the severity of common illnesses like the flu and common cold.

Active compounds in garlic can reduce blood pressure:Cardiovascular diseases like heart attacks and strokes are the world’s biggest killers. High blood pressure, or hypertension, is one of the most important drivers of these diseases.

Human studies have found garlic supplements to have a significant impact on reducing blood pressure in people with high blood pressure.

In one study, 600–1,500 mg of aged garlic extract was just as effective as the drug Atenolol at reducing blood pressure over a 24-week period.

Supplement doses must be fairly high to have the desired effects. The amount needed is equivalent to about four cloves of garlic per day. High doses of garlic appear to improve blood pressure for those with known high blood pressure (hypertension). In some instances, supplements may be as effective as regular medications.

Eating garlic may help detoxify heavy metals in the body: At high doses, the sulphur compounds in garlic have been shown to protect against organ damage from heavy metal toxicity.

A four-week study in employees of a car battery plant (excessive exposure to lead) found that garlic reduced lead levels in the blood by 19 percent. It also reduced many clinical signs of toxicity, including headaches and blood pressure.

Three doses of garlic each day even outperformed the drug D-penicillamine in reducing symptoms. Garlic was shown to significantly reduce lead toxicity and related symptoms in one study.

Garlic may improve bone health: No human studies have measured the effects of garlic on bone loss. However, rodent studies have shown that it can minimize bone loss by increasing estrogens in females.

One study in menopausal women found that a daily dose of dry garlic extract (equal to 2 grams of raw garlic) significantly decreased a marker of oestrogen deficiency.

This suggests that this supplement may have beneficial effects on bone health in women.

Foods like garlic and onions may also have beneficial effects on osteoarthritis.

Garlic appears to have some benefits for bone health by increasing oestrogen levels in females, but more human studies are needed.

Garlic contains antioxidants that may help prevent Alzheimer’s disease and Dementia: Oxidative damage from free radicals contributes to the aging process. Garlic contains antioxidants that support the body’s protective mechanisms against oxidative damage.

High doses of garlic supplements have been shown to increase antioxidant enzymes in humans, as well as significantly reduce oxidative stress in those with high blood pressure.

The combined effects on reducing cholesterol and blood pressure, as well as the antioxidant properties, may reduce the risk of common brain diseases like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Garlic contains antioxidants that protect against cell damage and aging. It may reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

JONATHAN ADEROJU